Spectacular start to 2019 with multiple premieres in Otepää

The year 2019 opens in a spectacular fashion for the Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined World Cup. Multiple premieres are on schedule when the World Cup tour visits Otepää (EST) on this first weekend of January. Not only is it the first time a Nordic Combined World Cup comes to Estonia, the weekend also marks the first occasion at which the World Cup men and Continental Cup ladies share a venue.

25 ladies from twelve nations, again a record high for the considerably expanded Ladies’ Continental Cup tour and 51 men from 14 nations are entered for the two Individual Gundersen events each. In the ladies’s case, USA’s Tara Geraghty-Moats will probably remain the woman to beat after a more than convincing start to her season in the four Continental Cups on home soil for the 25-year-old. On the men’s side, Jarl Magnus Riiber will be looking to come back strong after his struggle with the conditions surrounding his second competition day jump in Ramsau am Dachstein just before Christmas.

While the ladies will entering new territory in Estonia, the men had the chance to familiarise themselves with the venue with a Continental Cup weekend in the 2016/17 season. Both Martin Fritz (AUT) and local hero Kristjan Ilves should have good memories as each won an event back then and can use the experience on the World Cup level this season.

With a tightly packed programme between Ladies’ and Men’s events, the stage is set for a big return of the Nordic Combined action in 2019.

The programme

(Local time = CET + 1h)

Friday 4.1.2019
9:00 Official Training HS 97 Ladies (2 rounds) 
10:15 PCR HS 97 Ladies
11:00 Official Training HS 97 Men (2 rounds)
13:15 PCR/Qualification HS 97 Men
14:00 - 16:00 Official Training Cross-Country Ladies / Men
19:00 Opening Ceremony Tehvandi K90/HS97

Saturday 5.1.2019
8:30 Trial Round HS 97 Ladies 
9:15 IND. GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 97 Ladies 
10:00 Trial Round HS 97 Men
11:00 IND. GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 97 Men
13:30 IND. GUNDERSEN Cross-Country race 10 km Men
followed by Ceremony Men Tehvandi stadium
14:30 IND. GUNDERSEN Cross-Country race 5 km Ladies
followed by Ceremony Ladies Tehvandi stadium

Sunday 6.1.2019
9:00 Trial Round HS 97 Ladies 
9:45 IND. GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 97 Ladies 
10:45 Qualification HS 97 Men
12:00 IND. GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 97 Men
13:45 IND. GUNDERSEN Cross-Country race 5 km Ladies
14:45 IND. GUNDERSEN Cross-Country race 10 km Men
followed by Ceremony Ladies + Men Tehvandi stadium

Subject to change!